You'd expect Adelaide backman Nathan Bassett to decry the AFL rule changes handicapping defenders.

For him to be at the forefront of those bemoaning the changes which have made defenders' jobs near impossible.

After all, this is the same Bassett prone to theatrical, perplexed reactions when umpiring decisions go against him.

But the Crows defender says the rule changes are good for the game, if not himself.

"Some of the rules that have been brought in have made it more difficult in lots of ways for defenders so you have got to work on a lot of other things to give yourself a chance," he said.

"There have been a lot higher scores kicked and a lot more of an attacking game - it's what people want to see, so they have been good changes for that purpose."

Against Brisbane on Saturday night, Bassett will become the eighth Crow to play 200 AFL games.

The renowned lateral thinker says it has not been solely rule changes, such as no chopping of an opponent's arm and a total ban on hands in the back, which have made his job more difficult.

"Individuals are making better decisions as footballers and teams are better coached, there are more tactics involved," he said.

"Teams now are better coached to move the ball quickly and attack more.

"Whereas probably a couple of years ago we were talking about flooding, teams getting numbers behind the ball and teams pushing the ball up the ground more slowly.

"Now, teams are looking to attack more and they are doing it better and more cleanly.

"The skill level of the AFL has got a lot better.

"Myself, I have had to improve my own skill level over the journey because you train more and there is more attention paid to what you do, so you have got to get better.

"Opposition forward skills have improved a lot in general ... individuals are doing things better now than what they were, and a lot of that is down to coaching."

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